Process and Operation Optimization

Recommended Prerequisites

Programing and Numerical Methods; Modeling, Simulation and Optimization, and curricular units related to chemical processes fundamentals/applications  

Teaching Methods

Traditional classes presenting fundamental concepts and associated methodologies, problem formulation and solution, case studies from which more general conclusions emerge (inductive method); problem solving homework (groups of 2-3 students). 

Learning Outcomes

Goals/skills: understand the variety and hierarchy of optimization problems in the chemical industry (design and operations); known the fundamentals and tools needed to formulate and solve those problems (continuous and discrete optimization, heuristic methods); be able to formulate and solve several particular problems (design and operation of single or multiple units, synthesis of process flow diagrams, production planning and scheduling, value chain and logistic problems). 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Introduction. Optimization in chemical engineering. Design and operations. Type of problems. Multiscale view (in space and time). Problem formulation. Solution using mathematical optimization vs heuristic methods.

2. Mathematical tools. Linear and non-linear optimization, continuous and discrete variables. Some classical problems in operations research. Network problems. Modelling with discrete variables. Multiobjective optimization. The platform GAMS.

3. Optimization of a single process unit. Examples in chemical reaction and separations.

4. Optimization of complete chemical processes. Optimal process synthesis based on superstrutures. Reactor networks and separation networks. Flowsheet simulation and optimization.

5. Aggregated production planning. Multiperiod problems.

6. Design and scheduling of batch processes. Multiproduct plants.

7. Design and management of the value chain. Logistics. Examples.

Head Lecturer(s)

Fernando Pedro Martins Bernardo

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Resolution Problems: 30.0%
Exam: 70.0%

Bibliography

- Edgar TF, Himmelblau DM, Lasdon LS. Optimization of Chemical Processes. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill; 2001.

- Biegler LT, Grossmann IE, Westerberg AW. Systematic Methods of Chemical Process Design. London: Prentice-Hall; 1997.

- Mah RSH. Chemical Process Structures and Information Flows. Boston: Butterworths, 1990.

- Williams HP. Model Building in Mathematical Programming. 5th ed. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 2013.

- Winston WL. Operations Research: Applications and Algorithms. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning; 2006.

- Chen DS, Batson RG, Dang Y. Applied Integer Programming. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2010.

- Mencarelli L, Chen Q, Pagot A, Grossmann IE. A review on superstructure optimization approaches in process system engineering. Comput. Chem. Eng. 2020;136: published online, doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2020.106808.